


Housebroken - A Welcome To Hell Fanfiction

by ectoEgbert



Category: Welcome to Hell - All Media Types
Genre: Foster Care, M/M, Orphans
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-07-06
Updated: 2016-04-30
Packaged: 2018-04-07 22:20:34
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 6,982
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4280055
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ectoEgbert/pseuds/ectoEgbert
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Socks already grim reality takes a nosedive when he wakes up to find both his parents dead, stabbed to death by his own hand!</p>
<p>Harsh waves of panic rushing over him, he quickly hid all evidence of his bloody accident, before turning his trusty old friend on himself.</p>
<p>Before he even had time to brace, a swarm of police rushed into the room, holding him back from doing the inevitable.</p>
<p>In seemingly no time at all, Sock found himself facing a world he never even considered a possibility; foster care.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chocolate

     The streetlights glinted off of Socks eyes as he rode in the back of a family services van to what would probably be his absolute downfall.  
Even though he had been killing things since, well, before you could even remember, he never thought it'd come to this! His parents were the only  
ones who understood him! The only ones who would even  _talk_ to him, it felt like. Now, because of his stupid homicidal inclination, he was dozing  
off in a car at 5 am on the way to meet his family for the time being.   
  
"Who knows, maybe you'll meet tons of super wonderful friends there!" a voice came softly from the front seat, her gloved hands tapping the steering wheel to the rhythm of the soft tunes on the radio.  
That was Providence, the social worker that had been assigned to check up on him during this endeavor.   
  
     Sock sighed softly, his usual cheery attitude crushed under thoughts of what might be waiting for him at this foster home. Maybe she was right though! This could be what he's been waiting for; a chance to meet friends who felt the way he did! True, they probably didn't feel like murdering things,but it's definitely a start!   
He tugged his hat down a little further on his head, looking down at what was left of his life before the incident. The social workers had allowed him a small box to take whatever personal items he wanted to the group home. It was about the size of a jewelry box and just didn't hold much at all, it seemed. He opened it up, letting his eyes rest on the only picture of him and his parents he could find. A smile crept onto his face as he stared at the old Polaroid of him and his parents out in the snow, posing with the snowman they had built together. They had even let him drive a knife into the snowman's chest! They were all he had, and he just  _had_ to up and kill them! Maybe what all the kids said to him were true.  
  
Maybe he didn't really deserve anyone.  
  
The van nearly screeched to a halt as Providence muttered something under her breath. She turned to him as a smile spread across her face.  
  
"Well, welcome to your home kid! Sure, it may not be what you're used to, but you'll fit in just fine!"  
She winked at him as she patted him on the knee.  
"Now, let's go meet the house parent. He'll help you get all settled in!"  
  
     A few seatbelt clicks later, Sock was standing in front of what he thought was a joke. Before him stood a brick building, 3 stories high, with  
barred windows. Was it supposed to look like a prison? I mean, this was a joke. It had to be! However, Providence's face said otherwise as she  
put her hand on his shoulder and led him through the wooden doors.

* * *

  
     A blast of what smelled like ammonia and flowers hit him as they walked into the dismal lobby. Looking around, Sock noticed just how awful  
a state this house was in. The yellow floral wallpaper was peeling in random patches, the floorboards were chipped and filled with random holes, and the ceiling had more water spots than he could count.  
  
And there were kids.  
  
**Everywhere.**  
  
The ever growing background noise of screams and shouts from a plethora of voices just added to his anxiety. How was he gonna do this, how would he survive? Who's bright idea was this anyway? He felt panic growing rapidly in his stomach, his eyes darting left and right as he took in the chaos. His palms broke out in a sweat as he clutched his belongings.   
  
"Hey Sock! I'm leaving, I'll be back to check on you tomorrow! Stay safe kid!"   
She turned to leave, and Sock couldn't bear it any longer. He leapt at her, dropping his things and grabbing a hold of her sleeve before saying the first words since being detained.  
  
"Please,  _please_ don't leave me here! I won't last a day! I don't know anyone, it's loud, it's just absolutely awful"  
He could feel the hot tears welling up in his eyes.  
"I...I don't know if I'm ready for this yet."  
His voice broke as he rested his head against her chest, letting the sobs finally come after days of trying to hold a solid demeanor.   
  
She held him close too, patting his back as she knelt down to look him in the eye.  
  
"Hey Sock, listen to me. It's hard for everyone, and that's ok! Who wouldn't have a hard time with this transition! But soon, you'll be all settled in and rarin to go! You'll make friends here, I absolutely promise."  
She reached into her pocket and pulled out a chocolate bar.  
"Eat this, you deserve comfort food after all of this. I'll be back tomorrow to see how you're settling in."  
She slipped away and out the door, his gaze following her.  
He let a smile make it's way onto his face as he stared down at the chocolate bar. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad!  
  
Out of the corner of his eye, Sock noticed a boy about his age, with a grey hoodie and blonde undercut smirking at him.  
He closed his eyes and shook his head at Sock, then slipped away into the chaos as he placed headphones over his ears.  
  
Before Sock could react, he felt a tap on his shoulder. He wheeled around slowly to find a ginger haired man staring down at him eagerly.  
  
"Welcome to foster care! Would you like a hand?" 

  
 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> update on 7/6/15: fixed a whole ton of formatting and grammar mistakes!! thank you so so much for the support already!
> 
> you can follow me on tumblr here, if you like!! uvu  
> http://staarrycat.tumblr.com/


	2. Bunk Buddies

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sock is assigned his dorm, only to find his roommate is the last person he expected!

     The chaos around Sock seemed to quiet as he gazed into the yellow eyes of what would be his interim parent for however long this took. For whatever reason, he felt safe beside this man. I mean, he just  _looked_ like a dad, with his white button up shirt and sleeves rolled up to the elbows, his tie that was just a little bit too loose, right down to the scuffed dress shoes that told many tales of woe. There was permanently sweat on his brow from dealing with what must be in the immense stress of dealing with hundreds of kids on a daily basis. He was like an ultra dad! Sock realized he'd probably been staring for a little bit too long at this point.   
  
"U-uh, yes, please! Thank you sir!" Sock replied, with his usual pep.  
  
Without a pause, Ultra Dad walked over to help him pick up his meager belongings. Once his bundle was returned to his arms, Ultra Dad beckoned to him.  
  
"Follow me, kid! We have quite a bit to discuss before we get you all settled in!"   
  
     With that, he took off down the hall. Sock paced behind him as he scanned his new home. There were doors on either side of the hallway, each leading to what looked like classes of sorts! In one he could clearly see some people sewing, in others he saw kids sitting in a circle reading! There were kids of seemingly all ages; the youngest he saw looked around 6, and the oldest had a beard! All around him, kids were stopping just to stare at him walk by. Some laughed and whispered to others, while some just shook their heads. All of this did nothing to ease Sock's ever growing sense of dread. He stared at the back of Ultra Dad, trying to ignore the stares. He instead thought of who he might meet in here! From what he saw, there were people from all walks of life! He was bound to make friends here. The thought of not just absolutely terrified him.  
  
     When they reached the end of the hallway, they went through a set of double doors into what appeared to be the cafeteria! It looked exactly like his did at school, with corny nutrition information posters lining the walls, as well as rules pasted on every wall. They walked to the end of the cafeteria and came upon a door simply labeled "Office." Ultra Dad pushed the creaky door open before pulling Sock inside and shutting the door.  
  
"Have a seat, kid, I'll pull up your file and we can get down to business!" He plopped down his huge leather chair before furiously typing away on his dinosaur computer.  
  
Sock warily sat down across from him, examining his office. The walls were lined with plaques from any number of organizations, and topped off with a poster of a cat saying "hang in there!". He even had the obligatory wilting plant in the corner!  
  
"So Sock! Tell me; how _did_ you end up in foster care?" Ultra Dad said, not looking away from his computer screen.  
  
"Oh! I dunno, it's-it's kind of personal" Sock said warily, obviously trying to suppress that awful night.  
  
"Eh, I really don't blame you. I wouldn't tell someone I met 10 minutes ago my life story!"  
  
He pressed a button especially hard on the keyboard before turning to look at Sock, resting his head on tops of his hands like some evil character in a comic book.  
  
"Well, welcome to your life for the next however long!" He waved his hand around thin air. "Try to put the whole dead parents thing behind you, kid! This is your new home, all new opportunities! Sure, it may not be what you're used to, but you'll be settled in no time!!"  
  
He reached under his desk, just as Sock was once again brutally reminded that his parents are dead, and pulled out a manila envelope labelled "welcome package."   
  
"You'll find everything you need in there! Once you get settled in, you'll need to choose classes, but I'll explain that more later."  
  
He leaned back, propping his feet up on his desk.  
  
"So, got any questions? Lay 'em on me!" He smiled his way too charming smile.  
  
"Well, uh, yeah actually! Do you know how long I'm actually gonna be in here?" He tugged at his scarf a little, obviously still worried.   
  
"Nope! Nobody really ever does! Usually it's until you can get into an actual home, but that could be awhile! Don't worry about it, kid! Just try and make the best of it."  
  
Socks face must have gave away his sudden sense of panic, because Ultra Dad tilted his head at him before coming around the desk and sitting on the edge, looking down at Sock.  
  
"Hey kid, it's gonna be alright. I promise! All the other kids around here will show you the ropes, it'll start feeling like home in no time at all! Be strong kid, for your parents, y'know?"  
  
Sock smiled a little, knowing that what he was saying was absolutely true. His parents would have wanted him to make the most of this. He sat up a little straighter, smiling up at Ultra Dad.  
  
"Thanks mister- uh..."  
  
"You can just call me Mister M! And don't mention it kid, that's what I'm here for. Now, I'll get one of the kids to show you to your bunk! You'll be on the top floor, with all the older kids."  
  
He walked to the door and opened it, yelling out a name. Within a few moments, beard kid from earlier showed up. They exchanged a few words before Mr. M beckoned to sock to join them.   
  
"This is Red! He'll show you to your quarters. Lunch is at 11, be sharp!" He winked at him before slamming the door and disappearing into his office.   
  
Sock sighed and slowly turned to Red, smiling shyly.  
  
"Hey, uh, Red! It's awesome to meet you! Thanks for showing me to my room" Sock smiled wide, hoping to make a good impression on him!  
  
"Whatever. Just follow me, don't get lost." He rolled his eyes and set off in the direction of the double doors.  
  
He was already making friends!  
  
     Sock was once again following a strange dude through the halls of foster care. This time he got to peek into what looked like an activity room; it had a TV in one corner with a VCR that wasn't even plugged in, and was filled with chairs and tables laden with broken crayons and coloring books. He cringed a bit as he heard the screams of small children coming from it.  
  
"So, uh, how long have you been here?" Sock inquired.  
  
"Does it matter to you? Just keep walking."   
  
With that, Sock decided he was better left alone. They began ascending the stairs to the second floor. From the sounds of voices, he guessed it was the younger childrens floor. They kept ascending until the duo opened a set of double doors into the teen dorm, aka: pure hell. It was as if they had stepped into absolute chaos. There were no doors on any of the rooms, so every voice and sound hit him at full blast. Things were being thrown into the hallway as they walked down it, and there was even a full on fight going on in one of them. The smell was absolutely awful too; the entire place reeked, but this floor especially smelled like pure angst and body odor. From what he could tell, on one side of the hallway was boys, the other was girls. Every sense of comfort he had been given by Mr. M flew away as he kept walking. They eventually slowed to a halt at one of the rooms near the end of the hall.  
  
"Welcome to hell, bro." Red said, as he pushed him into the room. It was gonna be extremely hard not to kill him.  
  
He froze in the middle of the beige room as he slowly looked down at his roommate laying on the bed, gulping nervously.  
  
It was the blonde boy in the grey hoodie from earlier.

* * *

     Socks eyes darted around his new room. There was a single light/ceiling fan combo with one of the blades missing, spinning slowly and sadly above them. Upon further examination of the room, he noticed that the only window in the room was barred shut from the inside too! He moved his view down to the floor, where he witnessed a roach scurry from one side of the room to the other. Quickly looking up from the ground, he looked at his bed; it was made up with pure white sheets and pillow case, laden with a stained brown comforter. Beside it sat a small night stand bearing a single drawer. He smiled a little. This wasn't nearly as bad as he thought it was gonna be! He strolled over to his bed, plopping his stuff down and slowly lowering himself onto it. The springs were insanely creaky, but that was the least of his worries right now. He immediately focused on his roommate, who was laying on his bed reading an absolutely destroyed book. His eyes seemed to be perpetually half lidded.   
  
Sock opened his mouth slowly, picking his words carefully.  
  
"Hey, buddy! I guess we're roommates now! Ha!"  
  
Sock cringed harshly, a bright red blush growing on his face as he recovered from his blunder. He did  _not_  just call him buddy.  
  
The boy looked over nonchalantly, rolling his eyes before returning them to the book. This was off to an absolutely terrible start.  
  
"So, uh, h-how long have you been here?" Once again, his entire being cringed.  
  
"Didn't Red tell you not to ask people that? Come on dude." His first words were harsh, and every syllable hitting Sock like a ton of bricks.  
  
"Well, no! I didn't mean anything by it! But you probably don't wanna say, that's ok!" What the fuck was coming out of his mouth right now? Did he hear himself at all?   
  
Sock sighed, flopping down onto his bed. He closed his eyes are tried to imagine he was nothing in that moment.    
  
"And I suppose that there candy bar is for us, right?"   
  
Sock sat bolt upright, staring at the doorway where the voice came from. There stood a boy, big and burly and just asking for trouble. His camo baseball cap and faded denim vest struck pure fear into his heart. An icy wave of terror washed over sock as he eyed him up and down.  
  
"A-actually this is mine! My social worker gave it to me." He smiled shly, trying to pass off the question as nothing but a joke. But his comment only made the boys demeanor change from calm to angry in a matter of seconds.  
  
" _Actually,_ it's mine, twink. Now give it here before I kick your fucking teeth in!" He began to walk toward Sock, pure fear creeping up from his stomach. No way, not on the first day? Was Providence baiting him? Did she want him to die? Sock frantically tried to grab the candy bar, closing his eyes tight as the boy got closer and closer.   
  
"Back the fuck up, dude. He's new, give him a break!" The air in the room suddenly became immensely heavy.  
  
Sock slowly opened his eyes to see the blonde boy stand between him and brute. He stared on in absolute awe.  
  
"What in the hell do you care Jonathan, he's just fresh meat! Move, asshole!" The brutes voice made him shutter.  
  
"He's not worth getting suspended, dude. Go bother some other poor kid!"   
  
The brute opened his mouth to retaliate, but closed it quickly. Squinting his eyes at Sock, he backed away and trudged down the hall, muttering curses to himself.  
  
Jonathan strolled back over to his bed and simply laid back down, returning to his book as if nothing had happened. Socks eyes darted wildly from the door to him, before finally resting on the chocolate bar in his hands. He grinned before opening it, breaking it in half, and walking over to Jonathan's bunk. He looked up from his book gingerly, smiling ever so slightly as he reached up to take the chocolate.   
  
"Hey, thanks." He said, taking a bite. By the look on his face, it'd been an eternity since he'd had anything so wonderfully sweet.  
  
"I should be thanking you!" Sock laughed nervously.  
  
Then, they made eye contact.  
  
Sock stared into his soft blue eyes for what felt like an eternity. Butterflies exploded into his tummy, making him blink and glance away quickly.   
  
He could get used to this.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thanks again for the support guys! all comments are always welcome!! <3


	3. Rooftops

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> o K this took me w AAAY too long to make, guys. i spent a long time on this and did it without any proofreaders, so there may be some mistakes! i'll fix those over the next few days, but in the mean time, i hope you enjoy the chapter! thanks so much for all the wonderful support!

    Sock licked his fingers happily as he finished off the last off the chocolate bar; the little melty bits left on your fingers afterward were always the best!  
  
"So, you can play guitar?" Sock said, still sitting on Jonathan's bunk.  
  
"Ever since I was 10, I guess." Jonathan laughed under his breath, averting his eyes from Sock. "I don't, well, really like telling people. It makes me feel conceited!"  
  
"You dork, that's amazing! You'll have to play for me sometime!"  
  
    Sock and Jonathan had been talking for what felt like hours, but was probably only like 20 minutes! Even though Jonathan usually only offered up snarky one-line responses, every word sank deep into Sock. The way his eyes were permanently half-lidded, the way his hair always fell in the face, and the way it seemed that eye contact terrified them both. Sock felt like he could sit here forever.  
  
"Who knows, maybe I will sometime!" Jonathan winked at him just as a shrill bell rang out across the dorm. Socks face must've gave away his utter confusion.  
  
"It's just lunch, dude. Come on, let's go before the bigger kids make their way." He rolled his eyes as he stood up, placing his hands in his hoodie pockets and began walking to the cafeteria with Sock close behind.  
  
    If Sock though the chaos before was bad, the lunch rush was even worse. A few kids walked, like him and Jonathan, but others were straight up tackling others in desperate attempts to make it to the lunch room. Sock slowly grabbed on to Jonathan's hoodie, before quickly realizing how awkward that was and promptly slinging his arm down with a whole new bought of blushing! Hell, he's probably blushed more today than he has in the past 10 years of his life.  
    They continued down the stairs and through the hallways before finally ending up in the the cafeteria he started this rollercoaster of a day in; except this time, there were maybe 200 loud, obnoxious kids scattered about. The first thing Sock noticed was that it was all ran by kids. Older kids were serving the food and the younger were collecting trays and taking them in the back. They were even wheeling out more carts of food!  
  
"I-is everything ran by kids here?" Sock asked, a slight edge of nervousness about his voice.  
  
"Basically, yeah! Except for some of the classes and the dudes who cook the food, we pretty much do it ourselves around here! Here's our table, by the way."  
  
    He motioned to the table next to him. It looked like it was from the 70's, being made of chipped waxed wood with Sharpie graffiti covering nearly ever inch. It felt just like highschool! He sat down gingerly, careful not to break the decades-old chairs.  
  
"I'll grab us some food, there's not much anyway."  
  
    Sock smiled and nodded as Jonathan walked away. He stared after him, feeling every cell in his body flutter.  
  
"Settling in well, kid?"  
  
    Sock spun around in his seat to see Red sitting beside him, a ham and cheese sandwich loosely held in one hand.  
  
"Well, yeah, actually! My room mate is supe-"  
  
"Whatever, as long as you're not dead. Bad for reputation."  
  
    Sock just stared on in disbelief before slowly turning back around, his eyes wide.   
  
    He'd definitely have to get used to this.  
  
"Well, here's lunch!" Jonathan said, plopping down in the chair next to him. "It may not be what you're used to, but it better be soon."   
  
    He handed Sock a plate of what looked, not surprisingly, just like a crappy school lunch sandwich! He smiled slightly as he picked it up and took a bite. In that moment, he was back in school, where everything made sense. Where he would go to class and some kid would make fun of his skirt, and a teacher would tell him to take his hat off.   
  
Where his mom would pick him up in the afternoon.   
  
    A shrill scream brought him back to the reality of where he was now. However, with each passing second, things were seeming less and less bleak.  
  
"Thanks, dork!" Sock smiled wide at Jonathan before digging in.

* * *

    After Sock and Jonathan had finished lunch, they began sauntering back to their bunk. Sock felt tons better after lunch, his probably false sense of security restored after seeing just how smoothly this place could run. He even skipped a little, to the amused glances Jonathan.  
  
"Geeze, what's got you in such a peppy mood." Jonathan snickered as they walked into their dorm.  
  
"Dunno! I just, you know, feel ok!" Sock flopped onto his bed, puffs of dust flying in all directions.  
  
"Well kid, how's about a round of speed?"  
  
Sock sat bolt upright.  
  
"Hell _yeah_ I do! Where're are you gonna get cards though, aren't they contraband or something?"   
  
"Maybe, but who the hell is that stopping?" He smirked as he called out a name into the hallway.  
  
    Before long, a kid dressed in a jogging suit appeared in the doorway. Jonathan walked over to him as they began talking in hushed voices. Sock was able to catch words like "a few hours" and "fucker". Sooner than later, Jonathan pulled a Kit-Kat bar out of his pocket and handed it to creepy track kid, just as he handed him a torn up package of cards. Jonathan silently walked over and sat back down at his bunk and began shuffling the cards, with Sock staring on.  
  
Did...did he just witness some kind of illegal trade? Or maybe a rental of some sort?   
  
"J-Jonathan, did you just...what did you...who was?...-"  
  
"Hey, don't think about it too much! Let's just play!"   
  
   He motioned to the chipped and scuffed floor before sliding down onto it and dealing Sock a hand of cards. Sock thought it'd be best just not to question most things from here on out. He plopped down on the floor before the card setup, smiling sly as he picked up his cards and watched warily for Jonathan to flip over the first card. They eyed each other for a solid 3 seconds, tension filling the air as they readied every reflex they had. Without warning, Jonathan flipped the card over, and the most intense game of speed to ever be played began! They played for hours, the constant slapping and snide swears turned into droning as the game wore on. It felt like a perfect infinity, just the two of them. Every time Sock won Jonathan would just throw back his head and laugh, calling out " **I fucking _love_ it!** " with so much power. Sock couldn't help but feeling constant butterflies as he watched him.  
  
Wait, what the fuck? Was he...did he have a  _crush_ on some kid he met in an orphanage, today for that matter! No way, no fucking way. He loved killing things for god's sake, how could he have a crush on anyone! Was that even possible?  
  
"I-I think I'm gonna take an extended break! I'm done playing, I mean! Forever!" He smiled widely at Jonathan, just feeling the blush oozing onto his face.  
  
"Oh-kay? I mean, it's almost lights out anyway, so we should probably get ready for bed." He eyed Sock warily as he stood up, stretched, and began digging stuff out of the big tote under his bed.  
  
"If you're gonna be weird, I'm gonna go take a shower. You may not wanna take one tonight, they're always packed right about now." He looked over his shoulder and smirked before pacing off down the hall.  
  
    Sock gulped before standing up and promptly flopping onto his bed. What had he gotten himself into? He decided not to let it get to him. The early morning and wild day were starting to bear down on him as he let out a wild, roaring yawn. He settled in a bit, taking off his hat and placing it on the nightstand next to him. He gave a wry smile as he felt himself drifting further and further into sleep.  
  
Then the realization hit him.  
  
He had made a real friend.

* * *

    Sock gasped awake, sitting bolt upright in bed as he drank in air. He patted himself down and looked around wildly before letting out a sigh of relief; these night terrors would be the death of him. He looked out the window at the moonlight filtering into the room from the barred window, making him feel a little bit safer at least. The dorm was dead quiet, a drastic change from what he had came to know from earlier. Suddenly, he noticed that Jonathan was missing from his bunk. Extremely curious, Sock got out of his bed to go and hunt for him; how far could he go, really? He tip-toed out into the hallway, looking around a bit before hearing a melodic sound coming from the window. He looked to his left toward the window at the end of the hallway. The bars had been popped off as if they were a puzzle piece, and the window was wide open. For the first time in days, cool night air rushed in and filled his lungs. A confused look grew on his face as the melody grew stronger. He looked out the window, noticing a fire escape leading up. Without really thinking, he climb out onto the rusty old ledge and began ascending the ladder.  
    As he climbed, the sound only grew stronger. The soft melodies of a guitar flooded his ears as he climb the last few rungs onto the roof. He immediately recognized Jonathan, sitting on a milk crate and playing a guitar facing away from him. The soft breeze blew across him as the stars shone above. Jonathan's gentle pickings only added to the mood, the soft acoustic tones setting a somber mood.   
  
Suddenly, Jonathan broke into a [song](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AG-dEWgGSc8) Sock knew all too well. Socked moved ever so slowly closer to him, mesmerized by how beautiful his strumming was.  
  
Without warning, Jonathan began singing.  
  
♪ _I think you'll notice when/Things become different the/ Good vibes in our lives won't/ Feel so consistent♪_  
  
And Sock joined in, his voice shaky with emotion  
  
♪ _and less becomes more 'cuz the/Weight is too heavy I/Swim in the water that's/Breaking your levy_ ♪  
  
Jonathan had jumped up and turned around, only faltering slightly as he kept going. Sock could faintly detect a bright blush on his face in the moonlight.  
  
♪ _The way that you left me's alright , It's alright/If I argue the point then we yell and we fight♪_  
  
♪And I won't be home for the rest of the night/ you might hate my words but you know that I'm right♪  
  
And then, they sand in harmony.  
  
♪ _You know that I'm right♪_  
  
Sock moved closer to Jonathan as he played the Solo, staring into his crystal lakes of eyes as smiled up at him. His knees were shaky from the pure butterflies in his tummy.  
  
♪ _This is your life there's no/Way to run from it the/Down in your brain or the/Pain in your stomach♪_  
  
Sock chimed in  
  
♪ _I only have but one com-/plaint at the moment/don't paint me black when I/ used to be golden♪_  
  
And then together they sang:  
  
♪ _The way that you left me's alright , It's alright/If I argue the point then we yell and we fight♪_  
  
♪And I won't be home for the rest of the night/ you might hate my words but you know that I'm right♪  
  
Sock lifted up his hand and placed it gently on Jonathan's cheek as he played the last few notes.  
  
    They sang the last words together, under the stars. It felt as if all of his life Sock has been waiting for this. For someone who genuinely cared about him, for the chance to express all the love he'd been containing in his heart for so many years. As he stood on the roof of an orphanage in the middle of the night, he felt genuinely happy for the first time in years.  
  
The moon shone brighter, it seemed.  
  
_♪Don't paint me black, when I used to be golden _♪__  
  
As the last note played, he felt a single tear roll down his cheek.  
  
"My name is Sock, by the way."  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> as always, you can follow me on tumblr at http://staarrycat.tumblr.com! thanks! <3


	4. Technicolor

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> in the aftermath of their rooftop duet, Sock realizes he may feel a bit more than friendship toward his blonde-haired roommate! Pushing this thought aside, when they decide what to do that day, Jonathan suggest the art room. When they go down to it, they find more than they could have ever imagined.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey dorks!! sorry it took me so long to update this, life has killed me and stomped on my grave as of late! i'll try to keep this updated as often as i possibly can!!
> 
> this is gonna get pretty fluffy soon! stay tuned!!
> 
> as always, you can check out my tumblr at http://staarrycat.tumblr.com !! <3

    A blaring, shrill bell tore him from what was probably the best dream he'd had in years; he was about to kill an alligator! How rad would that be! I mean, to even _say_  he killed an alligator; that'd be amazing! He sadly had to abandon his scaly catch to the crushing walls of the orphanage. He sat up slowly, his eyes seemingly glued shut from sleep. God, what time was it? Why did they have to wake up this early, what do orphans even _do_? He figured it was just his morning grouchiness calling as he stretched, letting out a lion-like yawn.   
  
    "Good morning, sleepyhead" a groggy, deep, and fairly hot voice called from across the room.  
  
    He immediately felt warmer and a little more awake, sitting up all the way and rubbing his eyes to return the gesture.  
  
    "G'morning, dork!" he called back in an equally groggy, less deep, and not nearly as hot voice. "What's the deal with waking up this early anyway!" He yawned another lion yawn.  
  
    "Well, for the younger children, it's so they can go to their dumb classes! But for us, it just _builds character_ " he said, with over exaggerated air quotes around builds character.   
  
    Sock watched him get up slowly, groans accompanying every move. He reached into his drawer and pulled out a little plastic baggie with a toothbrush and some tooth paste, as well as a different bag that had a couple of tiny bottles of shampoo. 

    "C'mon dude, I'll show you how the showers work around here!" He smiled at him and gave a subtle wink as he got up and slowly headed toward the bathrooms. Sock scrambled to find his own toiletries and bolted down the hallway after his guitar-playing, bushy-tailed friend. As they made their way to the bathrooms, he wondered if they were gonna bring that up last night at all. That meant something, right? It had to! They couldn't just ignore that moment they had! That was a moment, right? They both knew _every word_ to that song! It had to be something more. God, what was he thinking? He was just a roommate, he probably didn't even think of Sock as a friend!   
  
    "Uh, dude? You there?" Jonathan said, his hand waving in front of Socks vacant expression.  
  
    "Huh?! YEAH! I'm super here! I've never been more here!" Sock laughed awkwardly, feeling the blush grow across his face.   
  
     Maybe he should just kill Jonathan and make it easier on the both of them.  
  
    "Well, if you're so there, you heard what I said right?" Jonathan looked at him and cocked an eyebrow, as if he knew Sock was millions of miles away from every word he was saying.  
  
    "Of course! But, just to be sure, could you repeat it? I just wanna make sure I got it!" A perfect cover up!   
  
    Jonathan heaved the biggest sigh and rolled his eyes. Sock gave a wry smile; it wasn't his fault! He shouldn't have been so good at playing the guitar! This time around though, he listened. Jonathan told him about how the water pressure wasn't super great, but if you turned it on cold for 20 seconds and then to warm it was fine! He also told him to mind his clothes, because people would _absolutely_ take them. Would people really do that? Who'd want his old ripped skinny jeans?  
  
   "Got it this time?" Jonathan said indignantly.  
  
    "Yessiree!" Sock said, throwing up a fake salute!  
  
    "Stop being such a nerd. See you when you get out of the shower!" He walked through the door with Sock following close behind to a different stall. A nerd! How dare he! I mean just look at Jonathan, he was obviously the bigger dork! Sock gave a little "hmph" as he followed Jonathan's careful steps to turning on the shower. Just like that, he had strong hot water! He began to shower, silently giving thanks that he got such an amazing roommate.

* * *

     Sock flopped down onto his bed with a contented sigh; a shower was just what he needed after all he'd be through these past few days. He let a smile creep across his face as hope spread throughout him; things were gonna be ok! He felt clean and rarin' to go! He sat bolt upright and smiled the goofiest smile at Jonathan.   
  
    "Sooooooo, what else do you guys do around here!" He tilted his head, putting his hands on his knees and leaning toward him. The room seemed to grow a bit smaller every time he walked into it.   
  
    Jonathan sighed and sat up slowly, his hair still wet from the shower.  
  
    "Do you ever stop talking?" He rolled his eyes again and turned to face Sock.  
  
    "Well, we could trade our souls for a pack of cards!" Jonathan said. Sock resigned his excited posture for a slump more fitting of an orphanage.  
  
    "Meh, we've played cards a lot already! And It's only been a day!" Sock muttered. Jonathan mimicked Sock's orphan slump before letting a ponderous look cross his face.  
  
    "We could go up on the roof again!" His eyes lit up a bit at this notion. Sock could tell that was sort of his safe haven from this place, and he absolutely adored it.  
  
    "That's just asking for trouble; someone is bound to see us!" Sock flopped down on his bed, sighing heavily and closing his eyes. He was starting to get a bit worried; is this what was in store for him? Just weeks of wondering what's next? He quickly rid the thought; he'd only been here 2-ish days! The whole orphanage was his oyster...or something like that. He   
  
    "Well, we could always go to the, heh, _art room_ " Jonathan averted his gazed and laughed nervously, throwing air quotes around 'art room'.   
   
    Sock's eyes shot open as he flew upright. Electric excitement flew through him; he loved to draw, and maybe that was just what he needed to take his mind off the situation.  
  
    "You should've mentioned it sooner, dude!" Sock hopped up and stretched, a toothy smile crossing his face. Whatever he wasn't able to express with words, he could always draw out.  
  
    "Hey, slow down kid! Now, when I say art room I mean- well, follow me." Jonathan's voice was twinged with pain; this must've meant a lot to him! It still bothered him that it was considered rude to ask the other orphans about their story; it was still really interesting to him! Maybe with time he'd come to learn this; and he was more than fine with waiting for someone like Jonathan. He let a soft smile cross is face again as he set off the hallway.

* * *

    Sock immediately saw why Jonathan put air quotes around art room; this could barely be called a room! Jonathan led him to what looked like a middle school science lab from the 50's. The walls were lined with the same peeling floral wallpaper as the rest of the orphanage, only in here it was covered in crayon; _absolutely_ covered. The walls were lined with shelves, most of which missing drawers, and filled to the brim with broken crayons and already completed coloring sheets. One drawer was full of used watercolor pallets. All of this was topped off with a long table in the center covered with splatters of paints of all different colors; even the stools had paint on them from years of abuse.  
  
    "This place used to be a whole lot nicer" Jonathan said in a reserved tone.  
  
    "But when they got rid of all the _extra_ teachers," There were those air quotes again "the art teacher was first one to go. She was the only teacher who really liked us! She genuinely wanted to teach us! When they would let me I would spend all day down here with her just, I dunno, doodling!" A smile had grown on his face, one that Sock had never really seen on a person before; of wonder. "It was an escape, y'know?"  
  
    Sock looked up and Jonathan and realized he'd started crying through his smile; a steady stream of tears streaked his face.  
  
    "Man, t-this is dumb. I don't know why even I thought this was a good idea. We should jus-"  
  
    To both of their surprise, Sock grabbed Jonathan's hand. Jonathan drew a gasping breath and looked down at Sock's grip on his palm. Sock gently smiled up at him and tugged gently.  
  
    "Follow me, dork."  
  
    Sock gently led Jonathan around the room by his hand, searching for any shred of clean paper and a working crayon; or pencil, anything to write with! Before long, they'd managed to scrounge up a couple of wrinkled pieces of carbon paper and a two halves of a broken purple crayon. Sock released his grip on Jonathan's hand and put the paper and crayons down on the table. He then went over and closed the door.  
  
    "Now we're gonna escape for a while!" He smiled a Jonathan again and nearly hopped over to the table.  
  
    "Draw me something beautiful! It's just us for right now, Jonathan. Let's take advantage of it. I may not be your art teacher, but that doesn't mean we can't enjoy this!"  
  
    Jonathan had gone glassy eyed. Had being in this place for so long jaded him? He couldn't remember the last time someone had done something so thoughtful for him. He returned Sock's gentle smile before saying nothing and going to work on his carbon paper.  
  
    What felt like hours passed as they drew together, a perfect stillness in the air. Sock hadn't felt this since he'd come here; a different sort of peace, occasionally interrupted by the scratching of crayon against paper. He was just doodling more than anything else; this was for Jonathan. Nobody else had been as ready to be their and help him as Jonathan had. He knew he'd never be able to thank him enough.  
  
    But before long, Jonathan stood up and made his way over to Sock. He had a soft, goofy smile on his face as he set the carbon paper down in front of him. Sock drew a gentle gasp as his eyes widened.  
  
    Jonathan had drawn them on top of the orphanage roof. Even with just a purple crayon to work with, it was mesmerizing. Even the sky was purple gradient shades; and there they were. Sock was staring up at Jonathan playing his guitar. Sock was blushing wildly as he looked up at Jonathan's equally red face.  
  
    "You told me to escape, and the only place I thought to escape was with you!" Jonathan cringed at himself; that was maybe the gayest thing he'd ever said.  
  
    Sock jumped up and wrapped his arms around Jonathan, nearly pushing him over. He had never felt like this about anyone before; someone who accepted him for _him._ Before long, Jonathan pulled Sock further into the embrace. They stood there for what felt like an eternity, their warmth intertwining into one being. It was perfect. For that moment, they weren't in an orphanage.  
  
They were just. together.  



End file.
